Thursday, January 12, 2012

For many students, being able to study well in college means that they have a better shot at a bright future. If they are able to get good grades, there is a chance that they will get good jobs with substantial paychecks. Indeed, in these economically-depressed times, it only through a good education that they can be able to find better employment.

Being able to study well in college would require you, the student, to develop the skills that will greatly enhance both your memory and your capacity for learning. These skills fall under five specific factors related to memory and learning enhancement.

1. Study Time = This pertains to the number of hours that you spend for studying and just how appropriately you are using them. This does not include the time you spend listening to lectures in class and doing your homework in the evening. Research studies have clearly documented that students do better in their exams if they squeeze in 30 minute to 1 hour study periods in their daily college schedule. While such a short duration may seem counterproductive, in reality, a shorter time period means that you can concentrate better on what you are studying. With study periods of 3 hours or longer, concentration dwindles to the point that you can no longer understand what you are reading.

2. Study Location = This pertains to the places where you choose to hit the books. Although the library remains the best place to study, research has shown that it is more effective if you alternate study places, particularly if you choose locations that are somehow related to the topics that you are reading on. Do you want to be able to understand those complex theories in Biochemistry? Ask your professor if you can study in the chemistry lab. The sight of the many charts and formulas on the walls, as well as the labeled bottles of chemicals can help you to remember what you are studying more. If you want to do even better in your tests, psychologists highly recommend that you study in the exam room or the lecture room that is very similar to where you will be given the test. Study location helps to "color" the knowledge that you are reading.

3. Putting Information in Short-Term Memory (STM) = Not too many students know that cramming and doing all-nighters primarily uses your short-term memory. Unfortunately, STM is not very effective since there are only 5 to 9 bits of information that you can remember at a time. Worse, if you don't reinforce this with constant memorization and repetition, you can expect all the information you have crammed into your brain within 15 to 20 seconds flat. In order for STM to work for you during cram sessions, you can combine all related facts together in easy-to-memorize chunks (a technique known as "chunking").

4. Storing Information in Long-Term Memory (LTM) = Research studies have confirmed that whatever information that you have crammed into your mind during an all-nighter will only stay inside your brain for 2 weeks at the most. For the information to stick inside your head until Final exams, you need to encode this knowledge into your long-term memory. If the information is encoded properly, it will be very convenient for you to get them out of your head during exams. Check out tutorials on techniques such as Mnemonics, the Peg Word Method and the Loci Method.

5. Retrieving Knowledge from Memory = Believe it or not, knowledge retrieval from your memory is actually being facilitated by the exams you take. The easy sections, like Matching Type, Multiple Choice and True or False, help you to develop the skills of knowledge retrieval with the help of "cues". As you move on to the more difficult Essay section, you will find that the "cues" which you have noted in the early parts can actually help you to delve deeper into your memory for the answers to the essay questions (that don't have the "cues").

Discover the basic strategies that will help you to study well in college today!

Thursday, January 5, 2012

There are a lot of LPN programs in New York for you to choose from if you are interested in becoming an LPN. As states go this is one of the best ones to earn your LPN qualification because there is just so much choice. Some examples of schools are the State University of New York at Farmingdale, the Marion S. Whelan School of Practical Nursing, and the Lee G. Peters Career Training Center. However these are just a few of the many options. The important thing to ascertain before enrolling is whether or not the school is accredited with the New York State Board of Nursing if you want to become a certified LPN nurse.

In order to enroll in LPN programs in New York you have to meet a few requirements. Unlike in many other states you only have to be 17 or older to qualify. You will also have to have a high school diploma, pass a background test and be in good health to get into most New York LPN schools. Some schools may require that you write an entrance exam to get into the program and study for your qualification.

Good LPN programs in New York will always include practical as well as theoretical classes. In fact if you want to become an LPN you absolutely have to do hands-on training. This is an unavoidable requirement that you have to meet if you want to succeed as an LPN nurse in your studies. Online LPN schools in New York, for example, will not offer the clinical training that you need and you will have to organize that side of things for yourself in order to properly qualify as an LPN. A school or program that offers very little or no clinical training should be avoided altogether.

When it comes to choosing LPN programs in New York you will want to, then, choose one that has good clinical facilities and that will provide you with a high degree of clinical exposure during your time in the program. The better the facilities of a school, the higher the school should be on your list of possible schools to attend. This part of your training is not only essential for the examination, but also for preparing you for your actual career as an LPN nurse in the future, so it should form the basis of your decision.

If you are someone who is going to need financial aid to get through your studies then you may want to only consider those LPN programs in New York that offer financial aid options. There are many LPN programs out there that will be happy to provide you with the financial aid you need. Sometimes the aid is merit based, sometimes it is need based. You may also be able to qualify for loan forgiveness programs where you will be able to have a portion of your loan paid off on your behalf. In return for this you will be required to work for a set period of time in a designated undeserved facility as an LPN once you have qualified.